Showing posts with label Food. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Food. Show all posts

2020-03-30

"Bad Food Bible: How and Why to Eat Sinfully" by Aaron Carroll MD



Publisher:Boston : Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2017.
ISBN: 9780544952560
Characteristics: xxxiv, 234 pages :,illustrations

The title of this book is something of a misnomer, as there are really no such thing as bad foods. However as everybody pretty much in the world is aware there are hundreds of books, websites, articles, and who knows at else that love to give you advice on things that are bad for you. Or at least are supposedly bad for you based on their convoluted idea of what science is.

Dr. Carroll takes a totally different approach in that he examines the science behind nutrition. I say a different approach because a lot of books, websites etc. have nothing to base the claims and recommendations they make to consumers, and Dr. Carroll tells it like it is.

In this book he deals with topics such as butter, meat, eggs, salt, gluten, GMO's, alcohol, coffee, diet soda, MSG, and non-organic foods. He explains these topics very well and anybody who is even slightly concerned about any of these subjects, will I'm sure have their eyes opened wide.

Having seen a few nutritionists in the years previous to this I can definitely understand where he's coming from in the way he presents his material. Pretty much every nutritionist I've seen has given me a different story. I'm not sure if this is because they just simply are not keeping up with literature, but it is extremely frustrating and it makes it seem that they don't know what they're talking about.

In any case--to step down off my soapbox--I would highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in nutrition and the controversies surrounding it.

2018-08-13

"Food: Delicious Science" PBS video presented by Dr. Michael Morley & James Wong



Publisher:Arlington, VA : PBS, [2017]
Edition:Widescreen edition.
ISBN:9781531701918
Characteristics: 1 videodisc (180 min.) :,sound, color ;,4 3/4 in.

This week I'm going to review a video I watched recently. Thus video is the scientific story behind what we eat, why we eat it, and what effects it has on us. It is hosted by Dr. Michael Morley, and botanist James Wong.

The two hosts take a look at three different aspects of food. It starts by examining the chemical basis for the food we eat, how this affects our brains, and creates cravings. The second segment takes a look at taste, and what makes our food taste delicious. Third and final chapter takes apart our favourite meals to examine chemically how food keeps our bodies fit and healthy.

I found this series of programs to be extremely interesting, and very informative. There are some things that either Dr. Morley or Mr. Wong ate that you'd never get me anywhere near (such as pickled sheeps brains, or ridiculously hot peppers), but then again some things are definitely acquired tastes - and I don't wish to acquire them. Mind you haggis is an acquired tastes as well, but that's another story.

I definitely recommend this 3 part series to anybody who is interested in food, cooking, and how the two areas can be looked at in a scientific manner.

Enjoy!

Going on Hiatus

 Greetings, I have decided to put a hold on doing further book reviews for a while. In fact I'm not sure if I will resume doing reviews ...